NT NETWORK
PANAJI
The government has decided to amend the law to make all councillors and chairpersons of municipalities to declare their assets and also directed all the civic bodies to go cashless within the next six months.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Urban Development Minister Francis D’Souza on Wednesday held a meeting of all chairpersons and chief officers of municipalities, wherein various issues pertaining to urban local self-governance bodies were discussed.
After emerging out from the meeting venue, the Urban Development Minister said that the government has decided to amend the Goa Municipal Act in order to streamline the functioning of the civic bodies as well as to generate revenue.
“The government has directed all municipalities to go cashless within 6 months,” D’Souza said, adding that the Chief Minister has assured them that the government will release their share of octroi grants which has been collected by the government.
He further informed that the government has decided to bring appropriate legislation in order to make provision of declaring assets by the councillors and chairpersons of the municipalities.
“We will appoint an authority to scrutinise the declaration. Appropriate legislation to this effect will be introduced in the next session of the assembly,” the minister said.
D’Souza also maintained that municipalities have not utilised Rs 56 crore grants allocated to them under Golden jubilee fund scheme, which was released seven years back.
The government also told civic bodies to utilise Golden jubilee fund in the next six months. This fund is unutilised in last seven years.
During the meeting, the issue of vacancies in all civic bodies was also discussed. The minister said that it was decided to review the various posts which are vacant in various municipalities.
D’Souza further informed that the committee under the chairmanship of former Mapusa Municipal Council chairperson Sandip Falari has been constituted to resolve the issue of regularisation of municipal workers who are working on contract or daily wage basis.
“House tax of commercial structures and institutions in municipal areas will be restructured, besides it was also decided to come up with scheme whereby for those who are in occupation for more than five or 10 years, the lease/rent agreement may be transferred in the name of present occupier after proper verification at the existing market rates along with transfer frees for lease/grants,” the Urban Development Minister said.